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To: SunkenCiv

North to Alaska ping.


2 posted on 09/09/2011 5:56:48 PM PDT by decimon
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To: decimon
If it weren't for the location and the fact that only two have holes, I'd say spindle whorls. Some spindle whorls were made in that shape, and many (most?) of the old ones were decorated.

In fact, when I did some Google searches, another article about this find came up, with a reader comment suggesting they were spindle whorls.

And that article has more pics of the excavation, for the picture-lovers:
http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/09/2011/alaskan-archaeologists-find-ancient-artefacts

Here are pictures of all sorts of spindle whorls, ancient and modern:
Google Images "spindle whorls"

And here are some drop spindles, for the non-fiber arts people among us, so you can see what the entire spindle looks like and how it is used:
Google Images "drop spindle"

Apparently whorls are also used with the type of drills used to start fires, though I don't know the details and have no idea if such tools were used in northern Alaska.

20 posted on 09/09/2011 9:07:39 PM PDT by Tea Party Hobbit (The RINOs lack all conviction, and the Dems are full of passionate intensity)
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